Joint elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police arrested on Tuesday another ranking leader of the New People’s Army in Quezon City, the military reported.

Lt. Col. Noel J. Detoyato, head of the AFP Public Affairs Office, identified the rebel leader as Ernesto Lorenzo, alias “Ernie”. Lorenzo, who also goes by the names “Adlao,” “Lugod,” and “Archimedes Bella,” was nabbed at around 12:15 p.m. at Gilmore Commercial Plaza.

He was arrested by virtue of a warrant for destructive arson issued by Judge Dennis R. Pastrana of Branch 66, 4th Judicial Region, Lucena City.

Detoyato said Lorenzo is the first deputy secretary of the NPA in Southern Tagalog and was also a member of its executive committee and the head of its regional organization department.

Lorenzo was also the former secretary of the Quezon and Laguna provincial committees.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo’s wife, Joyce Felicia Latayan, was arrested by authorities at around 2:10 p.m. in their home in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.

Latayan was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Rodolfo D. Obnamia Jr. of Branch 64, Regional Trial Court 4, Mauban Quezon.

The arrested couple is now in custody of the PNP-CIDG in Camp Crame, Quezon City.